STAFF Editor Beth DeFrancis Sun Maternal and Child Health Library Virginia Georgetown University 2115 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 601 Washington, D.C. 20007 (703) 927-4668 [email protected] Libraries Assistant Editor January/February/March 2013, Vol. 59, No. 1 John Connolly 426 Duncan Ave. Front Royal, Virginia 22630 (267) 275-3640 [email protected] COLUMNS Beth DeFrancis Sun 2 Openers Editorial Board Lisa Lee Broughman 3 President’s Column Lydia C. Williams Longwood University Library Adele Gardner 18 Virginia Publications Farmville, Virginia 23909 (434) 395-2432 John Connolly 19 Libraries Thriving: Community, [email protected] Collaborative Learning Resource Ed Lener Otis D. Alexander 21 Spotlight on Special Libraries: College Librarian for the Sciences Examine Life at the Saul Building Virginia Tech University Libraries Archives Museum P.O. Box 90001 Blacksburg, Virginia 24062-9001 (540) 231-9249 [email protected] FEATURES Matthew Todd Shanna Hollich, Allyson 5 Youth Services Forum: NOVA Lauer, and Amanda Liss Past, Present, and Future 3001 N. Beauregard St. Alexandria, Virginia 22331 Mutahara Mobashar 9 That All May Read: The Fredericksburg (703) 845-6033 [email protected] and Beth Solka Subregional Library for the Blind Adele Gardner Katelyn R. Tucker 13 Teaching Me to Teach Hampton Public Library 4207 Victoria Blvd. Gwen Vredevoogd 15 Book Illustration in the Victorian Age Hampton, Virginia 23669 (757) 727-1218 Danville Public Library/ 23 Library and Parks Bring “Little Free (757) 727-1151 (fax) Parks and Recreation Staff Libraries” to Southside Virginia [email protected] Virginia Libraries is a quarterly journal published by the Virginia Library Association whose Communication and Technology purpose is to develop, promote, and improve library and information services and the profes- Committee Chair sion of librarianship in order to advance literacy and learning and to ensure access to informa- Tonia Graves tion in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Old Dominion University The journal, distributed to the membership, is used as a vehicle for members to exchange Perry Library information, ideas, and solutions to mutual problems in professional articles on current topics 4400 Hampton Blvd. in the library and information field. Views expressed in Virginia Libraries are not necessarily Norfolk, Virginia 23529 endorsed by the editors or editorial board. (757) 683-4188 [email protected] The Virginia Library Association (VLA) holds the copyright on all articles published in Virginia Libraries whether the articles appear in print or electronic format. Material may be reproduced for informational, educational, or recreational purposes provided the source of the material is cited. The print version of Virginia Libraries is designed by Lamp-Post Publicity in Meherrin, Virginia. The electronic version of Virginia Libraries is created by Virginia Tech’s Digital Library and Archives and is available at http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/VALib or as a link from the Virginia Library Association website (http://www.vla.org) and the Directory of On the cover: The Fredericksburg Open Access Journals (http://www.doaj.org/). Virginia Libraries is indexed in Library Litera- Subregional Library for the Blind. ture, a database produced by the H.W. Wilson Company. Story on page 9. Items for publication and editorial inquiries should be addressed to the editors. Inquiries regarding membership, subscriptions, advertising, or claims should be directed to VLA, P.O. Box 56312, Virginia Beach, VA 23456. The guidelines for submissions to Virginia Libraries are found on page 4. PAGE 2 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES JANUARY–MARCH 2013 Openers by Beth DeFrancis Sun lthough I’m aware of the humility, and good humor) most proofreading and copyediting ser- mental health benefits of the changes that John Con- vices provided by Jim, Molly, and that a bit of “thankful- nolly and I recommended. John is Joan at Cameron Editorial Services Aness” can provide, it’s easy to slip a skilled wordsmith who has taken in Falls Church. Were it not for into the habit of negative think- numerous articles and crafted their volunteer contributions, the ing. Recently, however, I attended a them into finer gems (and when a journal would no doubt contain mind/body wellness session called many more typos, style inconsis- “Attitude of Gratitude,” where I tencies, and awkward wording. was reminded of the beauty in Thank you! things like changing cloud forma- After we do this As with previous issues of Vir- tions, smiling faces, and flushing ginia Libraries, this first quarterly toilets. The instructor described several thousand times, of the new year is full of feature gratefulness as a “practice” that it will reshape our brains articles that reflect the wonderful we can learn and polish over time. variety of libraries, special collec- We can choose to be grateful for and make us happier tions, and services that our librar- what we have, rather than bemoan ies have to offer. I am grateful to what’s missing or wrong. And after (or so the research live in a state that gives home to we do this several thousand times, suggests). (1) the Fredericksburg Subregional it will reshape our brains and make Library for the Blind, which helps us happier (or so the research sug- to make books accessible to those gests). Easier said than done, but who don’t have sight but who definitely worth a try at the start of submission hasn’t been quite right, can still “read” using their gifts a new year. or ready, for the journal, John has of touch and sound; (2) the Saul So with gratitude in mind, I taken the time to offer words of ex- Building Archives Museum, which would like to thank all of the writ- planation and encouragement by collects, preserves, and showcases ers who have contributed such rich phone or email). For this, I’m most archival materials from St. Paul’s content to Virginia Libraries during grateful. College; and (3) the Free Little Li- my first year as editor! Some of the I’m also grateful to work with braries in southside Virginia — a articles arrived camera-ready (pol- Jon Marken, our graphic designer partnership between the Library of ished and ready to publish), while from Lamp-post Publicity who has Danville and the Parks and Recre- others were what might be called made it so easy for me to transition ation Department. diamonds in the making. Some into my role as editor. Not only has There’s much more in this issue required little more than a “set- Jon transformed the copy we’ve to be thankful for, but I don’t want ting” in which they could glisten, sent his way into attractive and to give away all of the surprises! while others called for some chis- engaging pages, but he’s helped to Open the pages and you’ll see for eling and reshaping — an added ensure accuracy and consistency. yourself how lucky we are to be a paragraph or transitional phrase, a He’s also very accommodating part of the special library systems change of tone, or the removal of (and forgiving) when it comes to and services that weave their way grammatical imperfections. I am correcting errors that aren’t his across Virginia’s landscape. VL grateful that all of the journal’s doing. And speaking of “errors,” contributors accepted (with grace, I am also very grateful for the JANUARY–MARCH 2013 VIRGINIA LIBRARIES PAGE 3 President’s Column by Lisa Lee Broughman t the beginning of each place for Virginia public libraries. ([email protected]) if you year, the president of the Additionally, the committee ap- are interested in participating in Virginia Library Associa- proved instituting an Association the ALA National Library Legisla- Ation is tasked with writing her first sponsorship of one participant in tive Day in Washington, DC, on President’s Column for Virginia the 2013 ALA Emerging Leaders May 7–8. We would love to see Libraries. This is the traditional Program. participation from at least one time for us to reflect on the Asso- I am exceptionally happy to person from each congressional ciation’s accomplishments from report that the 2012 budget year district in Virginia this year. the previous year, while also look- closed with a bit of a surplus, • On May 19–21, the 2013 VLA ing forward to planning events to Paraprofessional Forum’s annual come. I like to think of it as our conference will be held at the very own State of the Association Koger South Conference Center address. I think you’ll agree with Go ahead and in Richmond, Virginia — the me that 2012 was a spectacular theme this year is Libraries: Gate- year, but there are also many great do it right now. way to the Future. Please visit www. things to look forward to in 2013. I can wait. vla.org for conference registration The Executive Committee held and hotel information. its annual retreat in early De- • Don’t forget to mark your calen- cember, at which we discussed dars for this year’s Annual Con- the 2013 annual budget; made which puts us in good standing ference as well, which will be held updates as needed to the VLA as we move forward in 2013. The a bit early this autumn, on Sep- Manual; planned topics for the membership year closed with more tember 25–27, in Williamsburg, four upcoming council meetings; than 880 members in the associa- Virginia. We are very pleased discussed the recruitment and in- tion — almost 180 members more to announce that Elisabeth volvement strategies for the ALA than we had during the 2011 year, Doucett, the author of What National Library Legislative Day; and 190 of them were new mem- They Didn’t Teach You in Library and revised the contract structure bers! Membership renewal notices School and Creating Your Library for the VLA Executive Director for 2013 went out in December, so Brand, will be our opening key- during her annual review, reward- if you have not done so already, note speaker on Thursday; and ing her with a multi-year contract don’t forget to renew your mem- Maureen Sullivan, Organization to provide additional job security.